


In Memory: Celebrían

by Sivan325



Series: Elrond & Estel [9]
Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works, The Lord of the Rings (Movies), The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Family, Father-Son Relationship, Friendship, Gen, Mention of sailor character, OOC in case, Teitho theme - Rituals and Festivities, Tissues?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-20
Updated: 2013-03-26
Packaged: 2017-11-29 23:32:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/692800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sivan325/pseuds/Sivan325
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A ceremony of remembrance for Celebrían causes a lot of changes in the Peredhil’s house. Elrond faces his pain, Estel is being lonely. Need I add more?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Beta:Michelle
> 
> Spoiler: AU.
> 
> Disclaimer: Not mine - Tolkien created all the fantasy work, I'm just playing.
> 
> Note: Estel's age is 8.
> 
> Princeling Legolas's age is 10.
> 
>  
> 
> _Visitors from Lothlórien and Mirkwood appear in the story._

**Imladris**

Noises, loud noises woke Estel from his deep sleep.

He opened his eyes to see his Adar, the twins and Arwen talking to each other.

He did not see their tears at first, but then Estel requested, because he was still tired: "Ada, I want to sleep… you woke me…"

"He is awake," Elrond said and left the room.

The twins and Arwen first looked at Estel and Arwen said softly: "You can sleep as long as you want, we will not wake you again."

Estel stared at them as they left the room without a word or tucking him back to sleep.

Something was wrong, but he did not dare say it aloud and let his head fall softly on his pillow.

\--

**Later that day…**

Estel left his room and walked to the garden.

He noticed the large number of the elves that were there. First he thought of his birthday; that they might arrange a birthday surprise for him, but then, when he walked closer, he noticed flowers, many flowers in different colors - colors that he had never seen in Imladris.

He walked up to the crowd and was surprised to see Legolas.

He noticed that Legolas was crying and next to him the King stood, crying as well. Estel was curious, he did not know what had happened and what his friend and the king were crying for.

Curious, Estel asked his friend: "Legolas, mellon-nin, why are you crying?"

"There has been a ceremony to remember Celebrían," Legolas said in broken sobs, but was cut off by Estel.

"But why are _you_ crying?" Estel asked, interrupting Legolas's words.

"I knew her, because she knew my nana. She was pretty like my nana, she was like a second nana for me. She told me stories of what happened outside of Mirkwood, and I miss her."

A cough was heard and Estel noticed the look that Legolas's father gave him and his elfling.

Legolas leant over hto is adar and whispered some words that Estel did not understand and then he left the crowd, Estel following him.

Legolas stopped walking before he entered the house, asking Estel to wait for him.

"Where are you going? Can I come with you?" Estel asked Legolas before he entered.

Legolas turned to him, fresh tears in his eyes, and answered. "No, but wait for me, I will be back in a few minutes."

Estel nodded and then turned around when he heard soft noises.

The elves were singing a lullaby for Celebrían and Estel began to hum, because he was bored, trying to keep himself busy until Legolas came back.

Estel called out to Elrohir when he saw him, causing the gathered elves to shoot him angry glances.

"What?" Estel asked. He did not know what he had done, because no one had told him what was going on.

"Shh… you must be quiet," Elrohir hushed him and took him aside.

Elrohir knelt next to the boy and hugged him when Estel asked: "What did I do wrong? I only hummed."

"Do you know what is going on now?" Elrohir asked, still holding his brother.

"Something about some lady, that Legolas prefers her as a second nana or something," Estel mumbled, because truly he did not know anything about it.

"You talked to Legolas? Has he been here? I did not see him!" Elrohir exclaimed as he pulled away from the hug and stood, looking for Legolas.

"He is not outside," Estel answered and then added, because he wished his brother would stay with him and tell him what was going on: "He has gone into the house and asked me to wait, but I do not know what is he crying for?"

Elrohir looked at him and answered: "He was crying for my nana, who sailed from Middle Earth…"

Elrohir was interrupted by his father's cough, who stared at him.

"Forgive me adar, but Estel did not know," Elrohir was cut off by his father who glared at him. When Elrohir joined his father, his twin and Arwen gave him the same look Elrond had bestowed upon him.

Again, Estel found himself alone and still confused, puzzled from what he had heard.

\--

Glorfindel noticed the boy humming and when he saw Elrohir walk over his mind flew back to the memory of Celebrían, knowing her pain and why she had left Middle-Earth.

A few minutes later he turned to Estel and noticed he was alone. He watched him tap his foot angrily, probably because the boy was frustrated not knowing what was going on.

He walked over to him, knelt, and pulled Estel into warm embrace.

"I saw Legolas, find him and play with him," Glorfindel suggested.

"I know, I already saw him, but he told me to wait till he comes back. He went inside, but did not come out again," Estel said trembling.

Glorfindel noticed the shivering, saw the new tears forming and knew that any minute Estel would cry.

"I will go and check what takes him so much time," Glorfindel suggested and without waiting for Estel's answer he entered the house.

Estel watched him as he left, his mouth half-open, because he had wanted to say something.

Less than a minute later he noticed Legolas leaving the house led by Glorfindel and still crying.

As they came to stand next to Estel Glorfindel said softly to the princeling: "He has been waiting for you, he missed you… and he needs someone to play with… especially **this day**."

Legolas looked at Glorfindel, saw the smirk and the sparkle in his eyes and then he sighed and swallowed the tears.

Glorfindel left them and rejoined the other elves.

"What took you so long?" Estel asked angrily.

"I… I looked for Celebrían's picture to show you how she looked like," Legolas answered and then he opened his hands and handed Estel the item and added, "This is Celebrían, wife of Lord Elrond and mother of the twins and Arwen."

Estel took the image and stared at it for a long time. He seemed stunned by her beauty and then tried to find his brothers in the crowd for comparison, but he could not find them, or Elrond or Arwen in the crowd.

"My nana was murdered by evil creatures, by orcs. I never thought that I would lose her so soon, because I knew elves cannot die, but my ada explained to me that elves can die in war," Legolas broke off, swallowing his tears, because he missed his mother.

"Your nana was murdered?" Estel asked in wonder.

He did not remember Legolas ever telling him that, only that she was away with her parents, but nothing like that.

Legolas nodded, thinking it was the right time to tell his friend the truth that he had kept to himself until now.

"Why did you lie to me? I thought I was _your_ friend!" Estel exclaimed, angry.

Estel had thought their friendship was based on trust and faith, but now he had to learn that he had been lied to.

Legolas took several steps away from Estel and answered, "I did not lie, just I could not say that my nana is dead, I could not face the truth. I could not even believe that she died."

Estel stared at his friend and said nothing more, but walked over to him and laid his hand on Legolas's arm for support, hoping that he was not hurting his friend's feelings.

Legolas turned around and thanked Estel for not ending their friendship, because he had lied to him.

"I… I know that you are human, your name is well known in all other elven kingdoms," Legolas said, breaking the silence that stretched between them, even though the lullaby for Celebrían still continued in the background.

"Am I famous?" Estel asked with smile on his face.

Legolas nodded and answered. "Only among elves, mellon-nin. Anyway, I wanted to tell you more, for I am not aware if you know that or not…"

Legolas swallowed the tears still rolling down his cheeks and added. "We have feelings too, just like humans and dwarves. Did you know that elves are immortal?"

"Yes, my Lord Elrond mentioned it in my bed-time story when he spoke about your father. He told me stories of himself and your father."

"I know… father told me the same things. How Elrond healed him when he was hurt and then Elrond took my ada's advice to become a healer," Legolas added.

Legolas turned his head, looking over to his Adar and then the Peredhils.

"What is it, mellon-nin?" Estel asked, noticing Legolas's distraction.

"Now, my ada told me on the way here that after all the songs the Peredhils and all those who knew Celebrían would take the road she had taken with her parents when she was captured by orcs," Legolas answered a bit disappointed, because he wished to go as well.


	2. Chapter 2

"Could we go with them, too?" Estel asked.

"I do not know if they permit us to join them, though I wish to go," Legolas answered with a sparkle in his eyes.

"We could secretly follow them," Estel suggested smiling.

Legolas noticed the smile and turned to his father with pleading eyes, wanting to join the memory journey that they would go on.

\--

Thranduil noticed the pleading look that his elfling gave him and walked over to his friend, taking him aside.

"I am taking my son with me," Thranduil said.

"Do what you want," Elrond replied, seemingly not caring either way.

"Do you _even_ care for the boy you are fostering?" Thranduil asked with a bit of anger, for he himself cared deeply for the human.

"I _do_ care for him," Elrond said irately, but was cut off by Thranduil.

"Then show it… you have to show him! Let him know of your family, as he is part of your family. You have to let him know that," Thranduil pointed out to his friend.

"He **is** part of my family. Hannon-le for showing me, mellon-nin. But…" Elrond thanked Thranduil, but he still had doubts.

"But?" Thranduil asked, waiting for his friend to continue.

"But, I am afraid," Elrond answered and then stopped.

Noticing his friend's lowered head, Thranduil squeezed Elrond's shoulder gently, saying: "Do not be afraid, speaking of the past might ease your own pain. Believe me, your wife healed my grief after my wife had been murdered by Sauron's orcs. You should be proud of your wife, she saved my life and that of my son. She gave us hope."

Elrond looked into his friend's eyes and asked without emotion in his voice: "Should I lay my trust in the boy? Why should I tell him what is in my heart?"

Thranduil clasped Elrond's shoulders and raising his voice, said: "He is your son and you should trust him the way he trusts you. You are family, and I think that you should thank the Valar for this blessing. He needs to know your pain, as your sons and Arwen know and share it."

Thranduil was searching for the spark of hope in Elrond's eyes but found nothing but doubts.

"Look at me!" Thranduil ordered, still clasping Elrond's shoulders.

Elrond looked at him and said nothing.

He missed his wife, wishing she had not given up and sailed to Valinor.

"Give the boy, give Estel a chance to know you better. Look," Thranduil said softly, smiling at Elrond, "all the elves here know that he is a boy, a human boy. We all know that he is mortal, but what does he know about us? Does he know that we are immortal? Have you taught him anything?" Thranduil asked.

"I taught him some elvish words, does that count?" Elrond asked.

"No," Thranduil answered.

\--

Estel noticed the conversation between Legolas's father and his.  
"What is going on?" Estel asked Legolas, who seemed completely focused on the conversation.

"They are talking about you, Estel," Legolas answered, without looking at him.

"What?" Estel asked curiously.

"My father wants that you join the journey," Legolas answered and turned to Estel.

"I love your father," Estel confessed and Legolas could see the blush on his friend's face.

"I love him too. He is the best father I could I ask for," Legolas claimed proudly.

"I wish my father would be like yours," Estel whispered and hung his head.

A finger under Estel's chin, Legolas lifted his friend's face. "Give him time, to lose someone is very hard, but let him know that you are here too. You are family, Estel."

"Hannon le, mellon-nin," Estel said, a smile lighting up his face.

"Do not thank me or my father, you need to thank your father, when he permits you to come, too," Legolas said modestly.

"How do I know if I am coming too?" Estel asked, as his smile vanished.

"We have to wait and see, mellon-nin," Legolas answered, and concentrated again on the conversation between Elrond and his father.

\--

"Have you ever told him a bed-time story? Been with him when he called you?" Thranduil asked, seeing his friend was about to break apart in front of his eyes.  
"One time, I think… though Arwen and the twins took that into their own hands," Elrond answered, and turned his face away

"Elrond, you are my best friend. You fought with my father and I honor you for that, but this is the time, when you need to look over your shoulders, to see what is beyond. You need to give your sons hope," Thranduil said and continued with a smile. "That is why I believe you called the boy 'Estel', because he is the one that gives you hope after Celebrían sailed to Valinor."

Elrond nodded when he heard Thranduil's words, he knew that his friend had been right all along. He might have needed a little nudge in the right direction.

"What should I do to make this right?" Elrond asked anxiously.

"Firstly, I believe you should walk over to him and tell him the news, mellon-nin," Thranduil answered and then whispered. "He is the 'Hope' that you have been seeking, remember that."

Elrond nodded, and walked over to his son.

\--

Estel saw his father come over and asked Legolas. "What is going on?"

"Talk to him," Legolas suggested and left to join his father.

\--

Elrond knelt by Estel's side, as he cried.

"Father why are you crying?" Estel asked.

"I hope that you can forgive me, for acting this way towards you," Elrond asked for forgiveness.

"You are my father and I know your pain. I also lost my parents," Estel said softly to his father, with forgiveness in his voice.

"Ride with me, my son, on Celebrían's last journey," Elrond rose to his feet and stood, waiting for Estel's reaction.

Estel moved closer to his father and hugged him.

"Thank you father," Estel thanked him, keeping his hands tight over his father's as he hugged him.

"Thank you," Elrond replied and thought to himself. 'Thranduil had been right all along.'


	3. Chapter 3

Each kingdom took a bouquet of flowers with them on the journey.

The Lady and Lord of Lothlórien took a garland of golden leaves and colored flowers.

King Thranduil and Legolas took green leaves as a sign of their kingdom.

Lord Elrond gave his bouquet of flowers to Estel, and so each of his sons took one part of the set of flowers.

They were heading for the Misty Mountains across the Redhorn Gate, for they were following the track Celebrían had taken.

Estel was riding with his father and looking for Legolas.

Legolas was riding the horse his father had given him. He rode behind his father, wanting to be close to him.

\--

_One week later…_

The twins dismounted their horse and led the group of elves into the cave where they had found their mother tormented and poisoned.

"This is where we found her. Ada, we just wish that we had come sooner," Elladan said.

Elrond came over to the twins and hugged them. He understood their pain and knew of their oath.

"That is alright, though I wish she would have asked me to join her, but she did not," Elrond said and looked at Galadriel and Celeborn, who silently wept.

Their daughter had sailed from Middle-Earth, giving up, because her spirit had been spoiled by orcs. They wished she would have been at least in company when she fell in the middle of her journey at the hands of orcs.

Estel noticed the cave, he noticed for the first time that the twins were crying, as was Arwen.

Estel came to stand with Legolas and his father and asked, when he saw the movement of the group: "Where are we going now? I am tired."

Thranduil heard his son answering to the boy. "Patience, mellon-nin, all you have to do is being patient. All your Ada needs is time. Be his hope, Estel."

Estel nodded and ran to his ada, taking his hand in his.

"I am proud of you, ion-nin," Thranduil said to his son with a smile and lifted him to carry him when he walked outside.

\--

The group was headed for the sea, from where Celebrían had sailed.

**One week later…**

They reached the sea and each one of them who had flowers went to the water's edge to let go of them.

Galadriel and Celeborn were first and put their flowers in the water, and then spoke with tears in their eyes: "Why have you given up? We could have saved you. We could have helped you if you had stayed, why would you leave us?"

Estel let go of Elrond's hand and walked over to Galadriel and Celeborn.

"Estel, don't!"

But he did not relent and took Galadriel and Celeborn by the hand.

That move made the Lady and Lord lower their heads and look at the boy. They smiled.

"It's alright, Elrond. Estel is life, he is hope, take care of him," Galadriel said and led the boy back to his father.

"Hannon-le," Galadriel knelt by the boy and gave him a warm embrace and a kiss.

Estel wept and nodded, but stayed silent otherwise.

King Thranduil and his elfling were next. They both held the bouquet of green leaves as a sign of their kingdom. Legolas put them in the water while Thranduil watched him with his heart full of pride.

"I wish that you had never left me, I wish that you could teach me more," Legolas let the tears flow freely.

"You healed me from my grief when my wife was murdered and I thank you for that," Thranduil knelt by his elfling. They both were crying.

Estel watched father and son and he felt an ache in his heart, wishing his father would show him those feelings as well. He missed being loved by a family. He still felt like an outsider.

Estel went over to Legolas and Thranduil and whispered. "Can I move to your kingdom?"

Thranduil and Legolas smiled when they heard the boy. Thranduil wished that he could, but he knew that Elrond had taken it upon himself to guide and teach the boy.

Thranduil looked at Elrond and gave him a death glare, wondering why Elrond did nothing.

Thranduil decided to ask Elrond. "Would you mind if I teach the boy in my kingdom?"

"Of course I mind, he is my son, not yours," Elrond answered.

"Then you should start being a father, because he asked us to take him to our kingdom, to be loved, to feel like part of a family," Thranduil told him and then he walked back to his elfling.

Thranduil and Legolas stepped aside, giving the Peredhil's some space.

Arwen went first and laid her flowers on the water. "You could have taught me a lot, if only you had stayed."

The twins walked up to their sister, and squeezed her shoulders from each side.

Arwen moved aside, knowing that her brothers wanted to say something, too.

"I could not stand that horrible look when I saw you before my eyes, tormented like this by those evil creatures. Me and my twin each took an oath to destroy all the orcs as painfully as possible, because of what they did to us. They caused you to leave us, sailing from Middle Earth," Elrohir spoke, as he and his twin laid down the flowers in the sea to let them join to the other flowers and leaves.

The twins took a step back to their sister while Elrond took Estel to the edge of the sea and murmured silently. "You… left me… with no words… you should have told me of the pain that you suffered from… I should have known…"

"I tried to heal you and I healed your body, but you did not talk of the pain in your mind, not being able to stand the sight of the orcs for the pain they had caused you."

Estel heard his words and held his ada's hand tighter in his own, not letting him go.

Elrond let Estel put the flowers into the sea and then he walked away, leaving Estel alone with his thoughts.

Thranduil was angry when he saw Elrond's movement, leaving the boy all alone next to the edge of the sea. He was afraid the boy would fall.

Estel took half a step back looking at the sunset and said: "I wish I could see your face, see the pain in your eyes, but I could not, though I wish father would let me know all that I missed, teach me more… but I suppose that this is taking time, just like Legolas said and I need to wait."

Legolas wanted to go to his friend and hold his hand, but Thranduil stopped him and whispered: "Let Elrond handle it, he is his father. Come, ion, we have a long way to ride."

Thranduil stepped next to Elrond to say goodbye and whispered: "This is your chance to change. Show him what he is looking for; let him know that he is not alone among the elves, even if he is a human. This is your opportunity, mellon-nin."

Thranduil walked away and took Legolas with him and as they mounted their horses they watched the union between father and son.

\--

Elrond went to Estel and said, kneeling next to him: "I named you Estel to be my hope, because I lost it when my wife sailed, but I know that you have been feeling neglected lately and I am very sorry for that, ion-nin."

'Legolas was right, maybe time heals, too,' Estel thought, a smile lighting up his face.

"I feel like I don't belong with your family, ada. You left me to look from the outside while you act as a family."

"You are part of this family, ion, and I am sorry. You have to let me know what you feel, so I can help and be there for you when you need me. Do you understand that, my son?" Elrond asked while he caressed his son's cheeks and then kissed him.

"I understand and I wish that you could tell me a bed-time story when we get home," Estel asked.

He had waited to say that for a long time, maybe now everything would be alright.

**The End**


End file.
